Prefab houses: 7 things you need to know before buying yours

Planning a new home can be as simple or
complicated as you want. When it comes to prefabricated housing, this is truer
than ever. The planning process will generally begin with the choice of a
construction firm with a basic housing model that has caught your eye. Then
you'll need to consider all the variations and options on offer. This is where
things can get complicated. The bespoke options are what really make the home
your own. There are generally lots of opportunities to expand certain rooms and
choose your own finishes to suit. The basic elements of these homes are
prepared off-site, so you really need to make all these decisions quite early
in the process. The good thing about prefabricated homes is that they are
fairly easy to size up and down to suit your building site as well. Of course,
these days we have graphic visualisation programs that help you get a very
clear idea of the final product as well.

But as with any big project, it's easy to
get overwhelmed when considering the project as a whole. So today we have
broken down the process of choosing and planning your new prefabricated home
into 7 simple steps. We will cover the essentials and hopefully make our
readers feel a little inspired too. So let's get started!

1. Costs

Prefabricated homes are incredibly
cost-efficient. While most newly built homes run into expensive building delay
and unexpected problems, the construction of a prefabricated home almost always
runs very close to budget because the entire process is pre-planned off-site
with a very high degree of detail. The materials are also prepared and cut in a
factory. This means that the on-site construction time is greatly diminished,
leading to less weather delays and lower labor costs. Finally, you almost
always working with a base model of the home. So the design fees are much lower
than normal. All this cost-efficiency might even leave you room to indulge in a
few more luxurious details.

2. Time

The average brick home takes at least 90 days to be constructed on site. In comparison, prefab homes can take between just 3-6 weeks. Of course, the time period needed will also be dependent on your building site. These estimates don't include the time needed to level the block and pour the foundation.

This office design is a good example of the beauty, design and delivery speed of this kind of building. It comes to us courtesy of architects Urban Recycle, Salvador (BA). The low-cost materials are lightweight and easily found in the local region. This means that the delivery costs were low and the construction time accelerated.

3. Maintenance

Lucky 4 Ranch

The maintenance of a prefab home is similar
to a standard brick home. Electrical appliances are generally good for 5-10
years and the construction materials are no different. However, we should point
out that there are newer wooden materials on the market that promise to provide
sturdier and more weather resistant benefits than seen in the past. As usual,
it always pays to make sure that the raw materials are properly treated to suit
the climate of your region. This is particularly so in tropical south-east
Asia.

4. Structural materials

Casa MC Golf Club

The most common material used in prefab
homes is wood. The good thing about wood is that it gives even the simplest and
most minimalist prefab home lots of natural textures and variation. As
mentioned earlier, wood will always need to be treated to avoid mould and damp
issues. This is a more pressing issue in modern homes where there are fewer
inconsistencies in the construction and gaps for the house to breathe.

Concrete is another popular material that
offers lots of visual benefits. These days it's quite popular in a polished
finish. It's also quite cooling underfoot and easy to maintain. The biggest
benefit in using concrete is its structural strength.

5. Style

The Edge

Choosing a style for your new home is the
fun part. If you are concerned about the cookie-cutter assembly-type look, cast
your net wide and do lots of research. Prefabricated housing is a booming
industry and there are lots of creative and attractive designs on offer. If you
want to slick modern look without spending a whole lot of cash, glass walls are
often a good idea. Take advantage of the professional advice you are likely to
receive from your construction firm. Then collect clippings of favourite
interiors, finalise your design then take a step back. It always pays to take a
few days off from the design process and revisit it with fresh eyes before
making a final decision.

6. Interior layout

The wall and floor finishes are easy to overlook when contemplating the entire design. But they have a huge impact on how you feel in the living areas and should be given equal consideration. A neutral interior is always a good start because it will tolerate a lot of style changes over time. Natural wood is a good start. It will also infuse your new home with a sense of cosiness and history.

7. Running costs

Schoolmasters eco house

An elaborate garden might look great on paper, when it does require a lot of maintenance. The same goes for the landscaping. Consider how much time you really have to maintain your home and choose a style to suit. After all, your new home should not be a burden but a retreat from the world!